John Ponchak is yet another legend on the Pioneers’ staff, having coached for more than 50 seasons. His ability to relate the game to student-athletes is still the same today as it was in his early coaching years.
Now in his 16th season as an assistant coach at William Paterson, the venerable Ponchak joined the Pioneer staff in 2001. Since his arrival, he has been the proverbial jack of all trades, although his primary duty is monitoring relievers warming up in the bullpen. He is also adept at helping players correct their flaws and often finds players seeking his counsel instead of having to offer it, a sure sign of the respect he has earned.
Prior to coaching at William Paterson, Ponchak mentored Ramsey High School for 35 years (1964-66, 1969-2000) and guided the Rams to 555 wins and three Bergen County championships. This was even more impressive considering Ramsey often opposed teams with much larger enrollments. As a result, he captured the Bergen County “Coach of the Century” award in 1999 and was shortly thereafter inducted into the Bergen County Baseball and New Jersey Scholastic Halls of Fame.
Ponchak earned a B.S. in history from Muhlenberg College, and he taught history at Ramsey High School for 40 years before retiring at the end of the 2002-03 school year. One of his students at Ramsey was Mat Sackman, who went on to play for the Pioneers.
Ponchak resides in Wyckoff with his wife, Sally.
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